The Second Life of Dumbledore's Army
by ChatterChick
Summary: Dumbledore may be dead, but his army is about to be resurrected. Seventh year of Hogwarts.
1. Change in Authority

The Second Life of Dumbledore's Army

by ChatterChick

Summary: Dumbledore may be dead, but his army is about to be resurrected. Seventh year of Hogwarts.

Chapter 1: The Change in Authority

A/N I'll be telling the story in the POV of seven main characters. Normally people tend to stick with Neville/Ginny/Luna but I thought it would be interesting to use this to flesh out some of the minor characters and see what else could have been happening.

I've looked at how fandom usually treats these characters and while sometimes I use inspiration I hope you find them to be uniquely my own as well. I've tried not to let DAYD influence my headcanon too much…

Updates will be slow because school is cruel. R&R please!

xXxXx

"It's okay Mum, really, we'll be fine."

Michael Corner felt a little lost as he shifted from one foot to the next. "It's not like they'll elect Dumbledore's murderer as our new Headmaster. McGonagall will look after us."

When his mum started crying, Michael awkwardly patted her shoulder. No wonder Cho had dumped him. He was rubbish at this. Michael glanced over to where his best mate seemed equally as unnerved. Terry Boot was desperately trying to keep his eleven-year-old sister from descending into nosy tears at the platform.

It had been much easier to say goodbye to their parents last fall with the assurance that Hogwarts _was_ the safest place for them to be. Now, with Dumbledore dead and the Ministry in questionable leadership, Michael wasn't so sure anywhere was safe. He knew Terry felt the same way, although the other boy wouldn't dare voice those thoughts to his terrified sister.

"I don't want to go," Sarah pleaded with Terry. Her voice was several notches higher than Michael had ever heard it. "Professor Dumbledore was _killed_ there!"

"Hogwarts is the safest place in the world," Terry told her. "Even without Dumbledore, there's McGonagall and Flitwick and Slughorn. There's me and Mike and Anthony. You're just a little girl; no one will want to hurt you. Really, they wouldn't. And I wouldn't let anything happen to you, I promise."

She looked doubtful as she clung to Terry's arm. Not that Michael could really blame her. No one was particularly overjoyed to be heading back to Hogwarts this year.

"I'll see you for Christmas," Mrs. Corner wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "All _three_ of you."

"Thanks Mrs. Corner," Terry quietly responded.

Michael's mum gave them another round of hugs before sending them on their way to board the train. "I love you," she told her son. "Behave yourself."

Grinning, he reassured her that he usually did. There had only been a handful of times that he had ever gotten himself in serious trouble, and all three occasions involved his ex-girlfriend, Ginny.

"C'mon, let's get a compartment before they start to fill up," said Terry.

Somehow, Sarah had managed to add most of her luggage to their trolleys so Michael passed her Horus to hold onto instead. His eagle owl seemed content with the exchange as Sarah let him out of his cage and perched him on her shoulder.

"Look, it's Stephen," Michael pointed out their fellow Ravenclaw down the hallway. "Oi, Steve! Over here!"

"Mike, Terry!" Stephen greeted the pair of them. "Where's Anthony?"

"Haven't seen him yet, but our golden boy's probably directing first years or something," Michael rolled his eyes. He wouldn't put it past Anthony to be out on the platform personally volunteering to watch over every nervous first year. "Where's Kevin?"

"Kevin's parents are muggles," Terry reminded him.

"Shit."

"I haven't heard from him since July," Stephen mumbled. "Look, I'm going to find Mandy and Su."

"Of course, we'll see you at the feast."

Watching as Stephen hurried away, Michael vowed to make more of an effort with Stephen this year. The boys had shared a dormitory and classes for six years now and still didn't really know each other. Losing your best friend had to be the worst feeling in the world.

Michael glanced over at his own best friend. The other boy had been unusually quiet today. As Sarah went compartment to compartment, searching for an empty one, Michael decided to end the silence.

"Knut for your thoughts?"

Terry's parents were both muggle-born and had been sent to Azkaban earlier in August. When the ministry changed ministers, the sudden change in policy sent the entire wizarding world into a tailspin. Entire families disappeared overnight to be questioned on their supposed blood status. Neither of the Boot siblings would talk about their time spent in the hands of the ministry, but Michael could all too clearly remember how haunted and terrified and _exhausted_ Terry looked when he was finally freed.

"You'll have to offer me a better price, they're in high demand."

"Oh really?" Michael challenged.

Mike's eyes glazed over as he watched some of the parents hug their children goodbye through a window. Everyone walking by them would think Michael was lost in his own thoughts. Only it was Terry's thoughts he was poking around in. He lazily flipped through the memories that played at the foremost of Terry's mind, not daring to dive any deeper. When his father taught him legilimency and occulumency, he stressed that just because he _could_ didn't mean that he should use it.

"I'd rather you just talk to me," Terry hissed at him.

Mike refocused on the present surroundings, confident that Terry wasn't actually that bothered by it. "You weren't doing any talking."

"Find anything interesting in there?"

"I wasn't aware you were owling Lisa Turpin all July."

"_That_ was none of your business."

"And Rampaging Hippogriffs? For shame. I thought you had better taste than that."

"They're all over the wireless, their songs are pretty catchy." He lamely defended. Michael could sympathize. It was hard to escape the boy band when Sarah played them incessantly. "Find what you were looking for?"

Michael shook his head, feeling his shaggy hair falling over his eyes again. "I wouldn't do that to you. If you aren't ready to talk about what happened at the ministry then I won't push. But I'm here for you mate, you know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"This one's empty!" Sarah announced, putting an end to any serious conversation.

The boys lifted their trunks into the overhead storage bins and settled down for the ride to Hogsmeade. Occasionally someone would poke their head in, looking to see if the compartment was empty. They exchanged small talk with a few of their fellow Ravenclaws before Anthony found them, leading a shy looking girl into their compartment. "Olive, this is Sarah. She's just starting her first year at Hogwarts too. Why don't you sit with us?"

"Prefect duties don't start until we leave the platform!" Michael teased Anthony who rolled his eyes in response.

"Sod off, I'm being nice. Don't mind them," Anthony added to the wide-eyed first year. "The meaner they are, the more they like you."

The blue and bronze badge that had adored Anthony's robes for the past two years was no longer an eagle wrapped around the letter 'P', but HB against the Hogwarts crests.

"Blimey, you didn't tell us they made you Head Boy!" Terry echoed what Michael had been thinking.

"It was a bit late," Anthony shrugged. "I think McGonagall was holding out hope that Harry was coming back."

"Still, congratulations mate!" Michael grinned as he clapped Anthony on the back. "You'll still look the other way if we sneak firewhiskey into the dorm though, right?"

Anthony laughed. "I might, but Padma sure won't."

"Perfect prefect Padma," Mike gripped. "Or is she Head Girl now too?"

"No, that went to Hannah Abbott. I'm supposed to meet her soon actually." Anthony glanced at his wristwatch. He grinned as he glanced at his two best friends. "I suppose I'll see you later then."

When Anthony left the compartment, Michael noticed he had the attention of the two first years in front of him. Wryly, he raised his eyebrows. "What is it, Sarah?"

"Did you really sneak firewhiskey into your dorm?"

"That depends." Michael grinned at Terry. They had both turned seventeen over the course of their sixth year and fooling Filch into believing it was butterbeer was all too easy; even with the stricter regime.

Sarah folded her arms and curiously watched the pair of them. Her cobalt blue eyes were eerily too similar to Terry's. She had that same spark in them that Terry often had when he wanted answers. She'd make an excellent Ravenclaw, he was sure. "On what?"

"On your ability to keep your mouth shut." Terry laughed as he ruffled her hair.

xXxXx

"Seamus! And Pavarti! Oh I've missed you both so much!" Lavender couldn't help but feel relieved at seeing her two best friends after so many months apart. It was wonderful to see them again. They looked good and happy and unharmed and _safe_. And if Seamus' smile was a bit strained and Pavarti looked like she hadn't been sleeping, she tried to ignore it as her friends hugged her.

"Dean's still not here?" Lavender looked from Pavarti to Seamus.

"Lavender, love, Dean's not – he's not coming back. I thought you knew."

"I just thought that – I mean, we don't _know_ his father was a muggle." Lavender whispered. This couldn't be happening.

She _needed_ her friends with her this term. Going back to Hogwarts was terrifying, but she knew she could survive it with Pavarti and Seamus and Dean by her side.

Pavarti shook her head. "But we don't know if his father was a wizard either, Lav. It was probably too risky for him to come back."

"He's safe though," Lavender found her voice was barely coming out. Seamus, surely, had heard from Dean. "You've heard from him?"

"I wish he'd come to me, I'd have helped him out." Seamus starred out the window as they pulled away from the platform. Probably avoiding eye contact since there wasn't much to see outside. Lavender knew that they had deliberately chosen a compartment on the opposite side of the train to let the younger students be able to wave out the windows to their parents.

She worried something had happened when Dean dropped out of contact in the middle of August. But she had tried not to assume the worst. Dean had three little sisters and his mother to think about. He had often talked about dropping out of the wizarding world to keep them out of the war.

"Could have done what, Shay?" Pavarti asked their friend. "Ran off with him? And then Lavender and I would be sitting here worrying about the pair of you."

The appearance of Ginny Weasley at their compartment door quickly ended their discussion on Dean. No one in the compartment was a huge fan of Ginny's after she dumped their missing friend to jump back on the Harry Potter fan wagon.

"I don't suppose any of you have seen Neville?"

"No, but he _is_ coming back?" Lavender asked. While she wasn't particularly close to the nervous boy, Neville had always been so kind and she'd hate to think something had happened to him over the summer. There was only so much bad news she could take today and she had a feeling there would be plenty enough.

"Neville's a pureblood, and he was fine a few days ago." Ginny shrugged her shoulders. "He's usually a bit late, but I had thought maybe he'd be on time for once."

"What about Ron and Harry?" Seamus asked. "They must be on the train somewhere."

Ginny rolled her eyes to the ceiling, "Ron's home sick with splattergoit. Mum's got him locked up in his room, you know, highly contagious. Even St. Mungo's wouldn't admit him. As for Harry, I don't exactly talk to him since he decided to ditch me last spring. But I doubt he's on the train, with the warrant out for his arrest and all."

"In other words, Harry, Ron and Hermione are out trying to save the world again," Seamus paraphrased. "Not that I'd tell a soul."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ginny crossed her arms and sat down across from Seamus.

"Course not love."

Lavender wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the absence of the rest of their Gryffindor year mates. A year ago she'd have given anything never to have to see Ron Weasley again. And Hermione really did know how to push all her buttons. Six years of sharing a dormitory with the girl and Lavender wouldn't exactly miss her when they finished Hogwarts. And while usually she got on with Harry, she couldn't exactly forgive him for encouraging Ron to dump her last year – or stealing Ginny from Dean.

But there was no relief in hearing they wouldn't be returning. Not when it meant that they were out there in danger.

Ginny eventually left to join some of her sixth year friends and Pavarti had to go to the prefects meeting. "Since Hermione's not coming back, McGonagall asked me to be prefect." She admitted. "I'll see you both after my rounds?"

Seamus pulled out his exploding snap deck and the two of them set to work building a house of cards. More often than not, the rocking of the train would set the cards off. She laughed as Seamus tried to regrow his eyebrow.

It felt good to be back. She had missed her friends dearly over the summer. Usually the four friends would visit each other over the holidays. Lavender would see Pavarti at least once a week. They'd have a day at her mum's spa or go shopping in London. They'd lounge at the beach in front of the Browns' cottage. They'd pretend to be muggles in London with Dean or watch quidditch with Seamus in Ireland. Sometimes Padma and her friends from Ravenclaw would join them and they'd have sleepovers and stay up all night giggling and gossiping.

Everything changed after Dumbledore died. She went two months with only the scarce letters of her friends for comfort. The Patils had left England to escape the war. Dean took his family into hiding to protect them. Seamus had offered for her to stay over and visit, but her parents had worried that it might be too dangerous. Besides, it wasn't appropriate for her to spend so much time alone with that _boy_.

"I missed you," she blurted out.

Seamus looked surprised, and Lavender hoped she wasn't coming across as _clingy _again. The word left a bitter taste on her tongue. She doubted Seamus would think of her like that anyway. After being in each other's company for ten months of the year, it was normal that she'd miss him and the others. She used to say those things all the time. _I love you! Can't wait to see you again! Ten more days until I go to Ireland!_

But when she cornered little Ginny Weasley at the end of last year and asked why Ron had lost interest in her, that was the one word that had stood out. _Clingy. _Ginny never minced words or held back feelings. Pavarti would insist that Ron was a git and _completely _at fault. "_Don't you remember how awful he was to Padma at the Yule Ball?"_ Dean and Seamus would avoid the topic all together.

Seamus just grinned back at her. "I'm glad you're safe, Lav. I'd have lost it if you didn't come back too."

xXxXx

Hannah glanced at the letter she had received. She was supposed to be meeting her fellow head before the prefects' meeting at eleven o'clock. Anthony had written to her a week ago, congratulating her on being rewarded the role. She had written him and told him how pleased she was to be working with him.

That part had at least been true. She had worked with Anthony often as a prefect and knew he'd make a wonderful head boy. It was her own leadership she doubted. She wasn't sure what Professor Sprout or Professor McGonagall had been thinking when they offered her the role. She had considered owling them and telling them they must have made a mistake.

That was until Susan and Ernie found out.

"_But Hannah, you were such a great prefect!"_ Susan had reminded her again and again. _"You loved it, I know you did. Why would you turn this down?"_

Ernie had been even more persistent. Going so far as to tell her she needed to stop hiding herself away and start _living_ again.

"I'll see you after the meeting?" Susan asked.

"Of course," Hannah confirmed.

Hannah rearranged her face into the smile she didn't particularly feel like wearing today. Maybe if she acted excited enough, she'd begin to feel it. After all, didn't she once want to be head girl? She ran into Anthony as he was walking out of a compartment.

"Hannah, it's good to see you! How have you been?" Anthony's warm, but keen brown eyes seemed to assess everything about her.

"I'm good, happy to be back with friends." Hannah recited the same lines she had so many times today.

She had left Hogwarts in the middle of her sixth year after her mother's death. If she were being completely honest, she was only coming back because the ministry had made it mandatory. She had kept up with her courses while at home the year before and Sprout had arranged for her to finish her NEWTs this year as well.

"Honestly, I was worried who I'd be paired with," Anthony told her. "Sometimes they like to put a Slytherin in to show they're not bias."

Hannah had serious issues imaging Pansy Parkinson as head girl. The girl was a lousy prefect and horrible role model. The idea filled her with silent rage. "Not Parkinson, she's such a cow! The amount of times I had to stop her from bullying our first years – "

Anthony broke off her rant with a grin. "I knew I was going to like working with you. We're – we're going to make this a good year."

He must have noticed her dubious look because he pressed on. "No one wants to be here. I know everyone's terrified after what happened to Professor Dumbledore. And I just want students to feel safe, you know?" Anthony admitted. "And I'm glad I'm working with you. You have a way of making people feel comfortable around you, and I think we're going to need that this year. I just want – oh hell, I don't know what I want."

"That's what Professor Sprout said in my letter," Hannah added. "She said she wanted us to help make everyone feel safe and supported at Hogwarts."

Anthony was nodding enthusiastically. "Exactly! And I've been working on a few ideas how – "

The words died on his lips the moment he slid open the compartment door.

"Goldstein and Abbott."

Hannah felt her mouth go dry. Sitting on the maroon cushion inside their compartment was none other than Professor Snape. Hannah heard the rumours. The night Dumbledore died, Snape had disappeared along with the rest of the death eaters. Harry Potter came from out of seemingly nowhere _screaming_ how Snape murdered Dumbledore. Ernie swore up and down it was just like the night Harry had come out from the maze in fourth year, clutching Cedric Diggory's body and saying you-know-who returned. There had been so much doubt at the time, but Hannah thought she knew Harry better now. Enough to know that if he said Snape killed Dumbledore – "

"Professor, if I may be so bold – "

"You may _not_, Mr. Goldstein." Snape stood up and looked down his long, hooked nose at the pair of them. Hannah felt like a foolish little girl under that gaze. "As Headmaster of Hogwarts, I saw it as my duty to meet with this year's crop of prefects."

"Headmaster?" Hannah echoed.

"Congratulations," was her counterpart's dry response.

Their compartment soon filled as the train set off from London. Hannah smiled at her fellow Hufflepuffs as they drifted in, exchanged a few words with Padma Patil. Most gave wary looks towards their former potions professor and Hannah hurriedly explained how he was their new headmaster. Only Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson seemed unfazed by the news.

"Hannah," she smiled as Ernie greeted her with a tight hug. "I know it's not your choosing, but I'm glad you're here all the same."

"Thanks," she whispered.

"You're going to be brilliant," he reminded her as he took his seat next to Elizabeth Bell.

There were a few prefects missing this year, most likely due to the imposed blood status checks. Most notably missing where Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley from Gryffindor. Pavarti Patil and Neville Longbottom had shown up in their place.

"I see Minevra's gotten desperate with her prefect choices this year. Is there really no one left in Gryffindor, Longbottom?"

Neville's eyes drooped to his shoes for a moment before he looked back at Snape. "If you prefer, Professor, I could always go get Finnigan."

Based on what she remembered from taking Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape and the NEWT class last year, Snape hated all the Gryffindor boys with almost an equal passion. He really seemed to hate Harry and Neville, but Seamus was very talented at incurring Snape's wrath as well.

Anthony was clearly trying to hide a grin as he regained everyone's attention. "For those of you who don't know, I'm Anthony Goldstein, your head boy for the year. And this is the lovely Hannah Abbott, your head girl."

Hannah gave a little wave to the gathered group.

"Hannah and I will be dividing up your rounds soon. Please let us know if there's a night you can't do. As well, fifth year prefects will be responsible for showing the first years around this week." Anthony glanced at her, "Common room passwords?"

"Gryffindor prefects, if you can see me later I'll give you the current password. I'll leave it up to Pavarti and Neville to change it every two weeks or so after this. Slytherin prefects will see Anthony for theirs. Parkinson and Malfoy will be responsible for changing it after that. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, you know how your passwords work by now." Although the other houses didn't know, Hufflepuff never actually used a password. Instead, it relieved on the trust that its house would never give up the secret to anyone. So far, no one but Hufflepuffs had ever been inside their common room.

Idly, Hannah wondered what the Ravenclaw house used for theirs. She couldn't see them simply leaving it unprotected. Maybe Anthony would let her in on the secret since she was head girl now.

"Yes, Professor Snape?" Anthony glanced over to where their new headmaster had cleared his throat.

"As much as I applaud your organization, Mr. Goldstein and Ms. Abbott, Hogwarts will be undergoing some new changes this year. All passwords will be decided by me and given to you at the beginning of each week. Do try to remember them _orally_, Mr. Longbottom, I would hate for just anyone to be able to read them off a list."

With a wave of Snape's wand, the overhead compartments opened and several thick stacks of parchment floated out. "I suggest you use the time to brush up on the new policies. As prefects, I will be expecting your _cooperation_ in enforcing the rules. You'll find the new punishments a bit more _severe_."

Hannah flipped through the pages and cringed as she read through the educational decrees. Most of them she had vaguely remembered from Umbridge's reign over Hogwarts, with slight adaptations. Professors Amycus and Alecto Carrow were in charge of all discipline at Hogwarts. Only Professor Snape could overrule them on those matters. There was a small, strict list of what clubs and student societies were allowed during the year. Reforming the club Dumbledore's Army was strictly prohibited and any attempts would be considered a 'serious misdemeanour'. There was a list of transgressions and what severity each was considered and suggestions of appropriate punishments.

_Educational Decree Number Thirty-Five:_

_Any students suspected of aiding Mr. Harry J. Potter, otherwise known as Undesirable No 1, shall be handed over to the ministry for appropriate disciplinary action. _

_Educational Decree Number Thirty-Six:_

_Students suspected of having two muggle parents, otherwise known as 'mudbloods' are to be turned into Azkaban immediately._

Hannah shivered as she continued to read through the list. Not for the first time, she doubted just who was in control at the ministry.

_Educational Decree Number Forty-One:_

_In circumstances where a student is found to be a continuous, serious disciplinary problem the Cruciatus Curse may be used as punishment._

They couldn't torture students. She looked around the compartment where her fellow prefects were reading the list. Each as horrified as she.

"It's really cold," Pavarti mumbled as she rubbed her arms.

The window panes began to frost over and Hannah could see her breathe in the air. She took a step back and stepped on someone's foot. Not that she even realized it. Her own memories were taking over and the present was getting foggier.

She could see the casket being lowered into the ground, the tombstone with her mother's name on it. The words echoing from Professor Sprout, "_Hannah dear, I'm so sorry, but your mother was found dead this morning"_ that had given way to months of grieving and an awful, empty feeling –

"No!"

Ernie's familiar boar patronous was nudging the back of her leg as Ernie himself embraced her in a tight hug. At first she thought she was the only one shaking but then she realized Ernie was too. "It's just dementors Hannah, you're okay."

The compartment felt remarkably warmer with a few patronous guarding them from the icy grips of the dementors. Hannah glanced around to see her classmates begin to snap out of their own dark thoughts.

"What are those things doing on the train?" Anthony demanded as he reached to open the door. He rattled the door handle that wouldn't budge. "_Alohomora_!"

Ginny had her wand out and was starting to bounce several curses off the door and window, determined to face down the dementors. Her curses rocketed off the glass and back into the compartment causing all the prefects to duck for cover. Snape looked particularly annoyed when a cutting jinx narrowly missed his left ear.

Even Neville had his wand out, as if he too was prepared to face down the dementors on the train.

"It won't open," Snape coolly informed them. "I suggest you put your wands away before I hand out this year's first detentions."

xXxXx

This wasn't happening; they weren't coming for him again. Snatches of questions and long days held at the ministry were coming back to him. _"All four of your grandparents are muggles? I believe we've arrived at a little dilemma Mr. Boot. If your grandparents are all muggle, where on earth did your parents inherit their magical ability?"_ He could still see his parents' trials. His mother's too pale face as a pair of dementors closed in around her. _"What remains to be decided is whether you accidently inherited that magic from them, or if you have stolen it as well."_

He could hear Sarah screaming – no, that was in the present. Terry forced himself to focus on the compartment around him. Sarah was curled up into a ball on the seat, rocking back and forth. Olive was faring only slightly better; her entire body was trembling and her eyes were wide with fright. Only Michael had managed to shake off the worst of the dementors and Terry envied his friend for being able to handle himself at a time like this.

A dementor had opened their compartment door and one, long skeletal hand reached inside.

"_Expecto Patronum_!

Michael's German Sheppard lunged at the dementor, knocking it away.

Still, the dementor pressed onward. More flocked to its side and they soon filled the already cramped compartment. While both Terry and Michael had practiced producing patronous back in fifth year under Harry Potter's guidance, the circumstances in safety of the room of requirement was nothing compared to the current reality.

He watched as his own patronous flickered from its full corporal form to a wisp of smoke. He could barely hold onto his own happy memories, the more he searched for them, the quicker they slipped from his thoughts. Mike's patronous was faring no better and seemed much less solid than it had at the beginning.

Emboldened by the fading patronous, a dementor made its way farther into the compartment. Terry put himself in front of the Sarah, determined not to let her be taken from him again. The dementors reminded him all too well what had happened last time.

In his mind's eye he could see her, her face puffy from crying and her eyes wild with fright. There were bruises up and down her arms and her cheek looked suspiciously red.

"_T-Terry –_ " he could hear her sobbing, the sound echoing in his head.

He shook his head, focusing again on the present situation, trying to force a happy memory to come to mind to drive off the dementor. Only, it was too late to do any good.

Michael and his patronous finally collapsed and the dementor was able to get past the boys. Grabbing hold of Olive, it yanked her from her seat and towards the hallway. Both boys ran straight into the glass door and were knocked onto the ground.

Terry struggled with the door, trying every unlocking charm he could think of. "It won't open!"

Desperate, Michael attempted to punch the glass, but that did nothing but injury his friend's hand. "Damnit!"

They fought with the door, long after the window defrosted and the screams from other compartments had died down. Defeated, Terry and Michael had retreated to their seats and tried not to think about what would happen to the little first year Anthony had left in their care. "She was muggle-born, wasn't she?" Terry whispered to Sarah.

Sarah's silence was all the answer he needed.

Michael spent the rest of the ride in stormy silence, bouncing every spell he could come up with at the locked compartment door. Terry wrapped his arm around his little sister and tried to force her to eat the chocolate frogs he had packed in his bag. Barely any words were exchanged as each was lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't until they reached the platform later that evening that the door unlocked itself.

All the compartment doors slid open and students once again filled the hallway. There was more of a subdued tone as they quickly gathered their things and made their way off the train.

Anthony and Padma pushed their way towards them on the platform outside. "Mike! Terry!"

"What the hell was that?" Michael asked. "Where have you been?

Padma shook her head. "Snape wouldn't let any of the prefects out of the compartment."

Anthony looked as if he had aged in the few hours since the train had pulled away from the platform. "He had us locked in there, studying all the new rules we're supposed to be enforcing. They're – some of them are quite sick."

"Snape?" Terry echoed in disbelief.

"He's headmaster now. Apparently the ministry doesn't believe he had anything to do with Dumbledore's death."

"Anthony, Olive – " he couldn't bring himself to tell his friend what had happened to the little girl Anthony had entrusted to his care.

"I know." Anthony ran an unsteady hand through his hair in frustration. "The dementors were rounding up all the first year muggle-borns. I should have – I didn't think to ask if she was muggle-born! I promised her parents I'd look out for her when I really should have told them to run."

Padma ran a comforting hand down Anthony's arm. "It's not your fault," she murmured.

"This might sound a bit insensitive, but why weren't they rounded up during the summer?"

"Muggle-borns are protected from wizarding regulations and laws until they fully enter the magical world on September 1st for Hogwarts. The ministry couldn't really take them from their homes before that, so they let them board the trains and then – " Anthony trailed off, he was shaking with anger as he spoke.

It was more of the ministry pretending to operate behind some set of rules. They had read Terry his list of rights upon arresting him over the summer, but each were violated again and again over the course of the week.

"They never stood a chance." Padma tearfully added. "They had no idea."

Michael swore quite spectacularly. "They're just _kids_."

"First years!" A gruff voice called out. "This way!" This year it wasn't Hagrid with his friendly boom and thick accent. It was a tall man cloaked in the bright purple of the ministry.

Terry grabbed a hold of Sarah before she could leave to join the rest of her year. "Try your hardest to get into Ravenclaw, okay?" Terry told her once last time. "Promise me, you'll try to get into – "

"What if I'm not Ravenclaw material?" She asked, glancing around at the group of Ravenclaw seventh years. "I'm not _you_, Terry! I'm not smart!"

She was shaking again and Terry knew he wasn't doing a very good job at comforting her. "You're smart, you're brilliant, Sarah – "

"Move along!" Barked the ministry official and Terry was forced to let the ministry officer lead her away from their group.

"She'll be fine," Mike placed a hand on his shoulder. "Although, I'm not sure if snooping through my room counts as Ravenclaw-curious or Slytherin-evil."

Despite his joking, Terry knew his friend was just as worried as he. During the month that they had spent with the Corners, Sarah had managed to pick up an extra over-protective brother.

"Ravenclaws are over there," an ugly man with straw blond hair and a few missing teeth told them.

A line had formed where their fellow housemates were being searched at the gate. Terry, Michael, Anthony and Padma quickly joined the line. Protests quickly filled the air as students were checked by the ministry for blood status and their trunks dumped and thoroughly searched.

"Absolutely not! No products from that blasted Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes!"

"It's just a pygamy!" A third year girl wailed. "Please don't – "

There was an emerald green light and Terry knew with sickening certainty that the pygamy puff was no longer an issue. "I can't believe they'd – "

He glanced at Michael who was looking at his own pet. Mike looked pale as he stroked his faithful owl's chest. "You don't think – "

"Owls are permitted," Anthony whispered next to them. "I don't think they'll kill Horus."

"What is this nonsense?"

Terry held his breath as an auror stopped in front of a girl with long, dirty blonde hair.

"My daddy just printed it this morning; I haven't had a chance to read it yet." Luna brightly told the auror.

"Oh Merlin, _Luna_," Anthony groaned beside him. Mr. Lovegood had been a bit of a thorn in the ministry's side every since the August edition had been reprinted to give an alternate theory how muggle-borns have been given magic.

The auror ripped it from her hands and proceeded to tear what was once the September issue of the Quibbler into pieces. "That Potter propaganda has no business at Hogwarts."

"That was a bit uncalled for," Luna frowned at the auror. "Daddy's Harry Potter special was only due out next month. For the Halloween special on you-know-who's first downfall. This month was celebrating the achievements of famous muggles and muggle-borns. I even brought extras for class."

Flabbergasted, the auror overturned Luna's carefully packed trunk and blasted all remaining copies of the Quibbler into dust.

Terry bent over to help Luna repack her belongings after the auror was done. "I'm sorry Luna, here let me help."

Luna smiled as she vanished the destroyed Quibblers that littered the ground, "Yes that was rather unfortunate. But he managed to miss the two-way mirror my daddy gave me – along with a few other Weasley products."

With all the muggle-borns taken off the train, the sorting was going to be much shorter than usual. Normally they looked nervous, all huddled together in the middle of the Great Hall. This year they looked petrified. Their faces were horribly pale and some of them were still shivering from the encounter with dementors.

Even the sorting hat was unusually subdued. There had been no cheerful singing or bouts of poetry this year. No wise words of wisdom or urging to work together. McGonagall had been the one to explain the four houses and the traits each had become known for. It sounded oddly scripted to Terry's ears as McGonagall described Slytherin as taking those with 'the noblest and purest blood'.

"Barbary, Selena!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bennett, Jeremy!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

Terry clapped politely along with the rest of his house as stout little Jeremy joined their table. McGonagall would be reaching Boot any second now.

Terry didn't think it was possible to feel any more nervous. He hadn't really given it too much thought during his own sorting. His mother had been a Gryffindor and his father a Hufflepuff and both said he'd have fun no matter what house he was placed in. Sure, he had hoped he'd be placed in the same house as some of his friends. But Terry was the first boy to be sorted his year, so he knew he was setting the precedent for his friends to follow _him_.

"Boot, Sarah!" McGonagall called out.

_Ravenclaw_, Terry silently pleaded, _she's got to be in Ravenclaw_. Sarah was smart and curious and a bit too nosy for her own good. He knew she'd like being a Ravenclaw. But more importantly, she _needed_ to be a Ravenclaw so he could watch out for her. If he had been nervous before school, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. Things at Hogwarts were changing, and with Snape as headmaster, Terry doubted it would be for the better.

Sarah trembled as she walked to the front of the hall and sat on the stool. Terry decided he'd dump some of the chocolate mousse on her plate during dinner. She was still looking too peaky.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Terry's jaw fell open and he shut it immediately when he noticed Sarah had glanced at him. He tried to look happy as he joined in the applause.

"_Dammnit_!" Terry groaned the moment she became absorbed with greeting her new housemates.

Snape _hated_ Gryffindor and the feeling was mutual. The Slytherins took every chance to fight with them, and no doubt they'd get away with it this year. If there was one house that was going to be put through hell this year, it was them. It was almost worst than throwing her to the Slytherins.

"Oh Terry," Padma whispered.

Terry felt her hand grab his, but he didn't need her sympathy right now.

"I'm supposed to watch out for her, she's my little sister!"

"It's going to be okay," Anthony whispered. "The Gryffindors take care of their own – Ginny, Neville and the rest of them will look out for her. She's going to be fine."


	2. Reign of the Carrows

Chapter 2: The Reign of the Carrows

xXxXx

"Ernie, do you mind if I borrow your charms notes from last year?" Hannah quietly asked her friend on their way to breakfast.

"Just be careful with them, okay?" Ernie looked around. "I don't want Snape to get a hold of them."

Hannah nodded. She'd guard that notebook with her life. Ernie, Hannah and Justin had all charmed their notebooks the year before to be able to write notes back and forth without getting caught. While Hannah's charm had faded last spring, she knew Ernie and Justin's still worked. It was how they had kept in connect with their muggle-born friend since he had been forced to flee from the ministry.

"Why don't you keep it?" Ernie suggested. "You're going to need it more than me this year."

Hannah sadly smiled as she slipped the notebook into her bag, making sure it was tucked in between her herbology and history notebooks. "Thank you – Ernie this means a lot."

Justin had asked her to be his girlfriend at the end of their fifth year. And despite the war around them, the summer after her fifth year and the beginning of her sixth were some of the happiest she had ever known. Of course, it all spiralled downhill shortly after.

Truth be told, she leaned on Justin quite heavily all last year after her mother's death and her father's emotional absence. His disappearance in August had been hard to handle, especially when he caught off most forms of communication to go into hiding. Hannah was grateful his charm was still holding strong and he had been able to communicate through Ernie. She'd have lost her mind with worry if they hadn't received daily updates from him.

But just to be able to write back and forth - without having to go through Ernie - was the best gift her friend could have given her.

"I've got an idea," Ernie wryly smiled at her. "Just tell me that he's okay."

She sat down at the Hufflepuff table between Susan and Ernie and began filling her plate. Breakfast used to be her favourite meal of the day. She still knew its importance, especially with a full day of class ahead of them. But that didn't stop the food from sometimes feeling like ash in her mouth.

"Has anyone seen Zacharias?" Susan suddenly asked. "He wasn't at the feast last night."

Ernie fiddled with his fork. "He wasn't in the dorm last night either."

Wayne shook his head. "I haven't heard from him in a week. That's nothing unusual, I mean it _is_ Zacharias, but he had been making more of an effort over the summer. But not coming back to Hogwarts?"

The unanswered question hung in the air.

"You don't think – " Sally-Anne gasped as they contemplated the idea of Zach's family being targeted.

Hannah frowned. Smith was a very common surname in both muggle and magical worlds, and it was easy enough to mistake them for being muggle-born. Then again, Zacharias had always been boastful of his genealogy. It wouldn't be too hard for the ministry to straighten things out. "His family's as pure-blooded as they come! Zach said they can trace his dad's line all the way to Helga Hufflepuff herself!"

"Harry once said that You-Know-Who is the heir of Slytherin – maybe he wants to get rid of the rest of the founders' heirs? He's always after Harry, and I'd bet my wand he's the heir of Gryffindor. He used the Sword of Gryffindor to kill the basilisk in second year!" Ernie reminded them.

Hannah knew Ernie had always felt rather guilty by the way he treated Harry in their first few years of school. He had done a bit of a one-eighty since then and had become a steadfast Potter-supporter.

Susan shook her head. "I don't think Harry's related to Gryffindor. I think it would have come up by now."

The flow of conversation died out as each of them began to eat. Sprout came by with their schedules for the semester. "Hannah, here you are dear. And Susan – "

Her parents had expected her to continue with all her core courses, but Hannah was relieved when her "Acceptable" in potions wasn't enough to allow her into the class. That was before her mother had been killed while healing muggles in an attack in Edinburgh. Although she tried to keep up with her studies during her term at home, her father had eventually agreed to let her drop transfiguration and ancient ruins as well.

Hannah stared at her new schedule, finding it heavier than it should have been. "Professor, there must have been a mistake; I haven't signed up for Muggle Studies."

"Our new administrators have decided that Muggle Studies and Dark Arts should become mandatory for all students." Professor Sprout looked tired as she admitted this.

"Dark Arts?" Susan asked. "Are they really allowed to teach us those?"

Sprout's eyes flickered to the professor's table where Snape and the Carrows were all centered. That was more than enough answer Hannah and the others needed. Their professor continued down the table, reminding third and sixth years that they had appointments with her to discuss what courses they would be taking.

"Suppose we should get to Dark Arts then," Sally-Anne sighed. "Wouldn't want to get on Carrow's bad side."

Usually the staircases would change at seemingly random at the start of every term until the pattern started making sense. This morning, however, the staircases were noticeably still. The Hufflepuffs arrived fifteen minutes early and had time to spare.

It seems everyone had the same idea. The classroom was only halfway filled and Hannah released that that was everyone. She shouldn't have found herself so surprised that a quarter of their class was missing. The only house who hadn't suffered losses this year was sitting in the front row in glittering green and silver.

At exactly half past eight, their professor strolled into the room. They had been introduced to the new professor and his sister the night before during the feast. Rumours ran rampant throughout the Hufflepuff common room the night before that both the Carrows were death eaters. Some students swore they say Alecto Carrow push up her sleeve to show off her dark mark during dinner.

"I thought we'd begin with a demonstration to make things interesting." Amycus began as his eyes swept over the room. "Any volunteers?"

Not a sole dared to stick their hand in the air, nervous at what exactly they'd be learning today. Hannah noticed that even their Slytherin classmates seemed tense at being forced to take Dark Arts this year. Malfoy looked paler than usual and Hannah remembered hearing last year that his family had fallen out of you-know-who's good graces.

"How about Ms Abbott and Mr. Goldstein? You'll be our two role models for today." Amycus smirked as the pair of them made their way to the front of the room.

"I believe you're all familiar with the unforgivable curses, as dear Dolores' notes dictate, they were covered in your fourth year. However, the ministry does not believe your knowledge has been extensive enough."

A shiver crept down Hannah's spine as Amycus spoke of the unforgivables. She remembered how Moody had put each of them under the imperius curse to learn to fight it off. Would Amycus be demonstrating the unforgivables on them? She was terrified he wouldn't stop at the imperius.

"Now, Ms Abbott, would you care to tell me a recap of what you covered with old Mad-Eye? Can you tell me one of the curses and what it does?"

She glanced at Anthony who gave her an encouraging nod. "The imperius curse, sir. It causes the victim to do whatever the castor commends of them. It is possible to fight off, although very difficult to do so."

"Indeed, now do you know how to perform one?"

When Hannah and Anthony shook their heads, Amycus frowned. "I can see where Mad-Eye left holes in your education."

Amycus walked her threw the wrist movements for the imperius curse, a simple 90 degree clockwise rotation and a forceful jab at the intended victim.

"Good, now try it on Mr. Goldstein."

"But – " the protest fell on deaf ears as Amycus' smile turned into a frightening scowl.

"It's okay Hannah," Anthony told her.

Hannah tried to relax. It was unforgivable, but she wasn't going to use it to hurt Anthony or anyone else. Moody had certainly put the entire class under it enough times when the curse was still enough to land you a lifetime in Azkaban. Shakily, she raised her wand and mumbled the forbidden word. "_Imperius_."

"Well?" Amycus demanded as he waved his hand in front of Anthony's glazed eyes. "Aren't you going to test it out?"

"Um, spin around. Hop on one foot. Stop." Hannah blushed as she forced Anthony to make a fool of himself in front of the class. She was thankful none of her classmates had the indecency to laugh at the situation. With the exception of Crabbe and Goyle.

"Make him lick dirt off the floor!" One of them hollered.

Angered, Hannah released Anthony from her curse. "Absolutely not."

Amycus just nodded. "Your hold over Mr. Goldstein was weak at best. I have no doubt that he could have broken the curse with small effort on his part. Now, what about the next curse? Ms. Abbott?"

"The cruciatus curse," her voice had dropped, terrified where this was leading. "It's the torture curse."

"Ms Abbott, if you would care to demonstrate."

"No, I'm not torturing Anthony!"

"Don't be stupid, girl. This is a _school_, students aren't going to be tortured for no reason." Amycus snapped his fingers and called out "Tansy!"

One of the school's house-elfs appeared wrapped in a tea-towel with the Hogwarts crest emblazed on it. "Master Amycus called for Tansy?" She curtsied.

"Ms Abbott, would you care to demonstrate on Tansy please?"

"That's barbaric!" Ernie protested.

For the first time, Hannah glanced at her classmates. Ernie had risen out of his seat and he wasn't the only one. But she wasn't sure what her classmates could do against a professor.

"Sit down back down or I'll ask the little lady to volunteer herself instead."

Ernie looked apologetically at her. Her best friend would do anything to keep her from being cruciated, even if it meant endangering the house-elf.

"It's okay, Miss Hannah. Tansy is a good house-elf and Tansy does as the masters command. Besides," Hannah was surprised when Tansy gave Amycus a rather filthy look. "Tansy would rather the masters not hurt students."

Nodding, Hannah turned to face Tansy. A proper cruciatus needed to be fueled by hate. She didn't hate Tansy. How could she hate an innocent house-elf? Whatever she did would surely be less painful than if Amycus lost his patience and cursed Tansy himself. The wrist movement was a harsh downward slash that happened almost too quickly. Hannah felt the bile rise in her throat as she murmured "_Crucio_."

The curse still seemed severe enough to make poor little thing twitch and whimper. Hannah dropped the curse immediately.

Hannah knelt next to Tansy. "Tansy? Oh Tansy are you okay?"

In response, Tansy flung herself into Hannah's arms and burst into nosy tears.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" Hannah repeated as she tried to comfort Tansy.

"Mr. Goldstein, the last unforgivable?"

"I'm not killing the house-elf." Anthony coldly told Amycus. "You're wrong to force her to come here and be used for – for – "

"_Crucio_!"

In one horrifying moment it was Anthony who fell to the ground. He was shaking uncontrollably and screamed out in raw pain. Tansy started shrieking for the student who had tried to protect her. "Mr Anthony! _Mr Anthony_!"

"_That_ was a proper Cruciatus curse," Amycus informed the class the moment he lifted it.

Terry and Michael were at their friend's side the instant it was lifted, but it was neither of their voices that screamed at Amycus.

"_You can't do that_!" Hannah was surprised to hear that it was her own voice screaming at him. Never had she spoken back to a professor before now.

"A little half-blood piece of shit like you can't tell me what to do. Alecto and I are to deliver punishments as we see fit," Amycus sneered. "Mr Goldstein learned his place and the rest of you learned what a proper crucio looks like. Not that weak one you gave the disgusting little creature next to you."

"Leave him!" Amycus advanced on Terry and Michael. Amycus gripped his wand and Hannah squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the screams to fill the air once more. She had thought they would be protected by the rules. A sudden hopelessness overtook her. What could any of them do against professors who could torture them as they wished?

"I'm fine." Anthony's voice surprised them all. He shakily shook off his friends' help and got to his feet. "Really."

Amycus ignored him and seemed determined to finish the rest of the lesson. "_Avada kedavra_."

Tansy fell limp in Hannah's hands the moment the curse hit her. Hannah didn't think the class could get any quieter. There were no horrified protests this time, just stunned silence. Everyone had seen the curse used once before when Moody killed the spider. But none of them expected to see it used so heartlessly against a fellow magical being.

Tears began to well up in Hannah's eyes.

"Don't weep you silly girl," Amycus told her as he vanished Tansy's body. "Not over a piece of scrum like that house-elf. My sister will teach you your proper place, and it ain't mourning for every piece of filth the wizarding world has."

"Get back to your seats!" Amycus barked at them, Hannah scrambled to her feet and made her way next to Susan in the middle row. Anthony seemed determined to show the class that he was fine and walked back on his own, despite Terry and Michael's attempts to help.

Notes about the unforgivable courses appeared on the blackboard behind Amycus. "I expect you all to write these in complete silence until class is finished."

Amycus sat down at the desk in front of the class and watched them as they started to write down the notes. Hannah could barely see them; her eyes were too thick with tears that refused to fall. The moment Amycus vanished the notes and allowed them to leave, Hannah took off without a backwards glance.

"Hannah! Wait! "

She kept walking, not slowing down for a second despite Ernie and Susan's calls. All she could see was the flash of green that had been aimed at the little creature in her arms. She rushed along the third floor corridor to the nearest lavatory. Promptly, she threw up into the first open toilet.

xXxXx

"Misters Longbottom and Finnigan," McGonagall looked tired as she read the names off of a list. "And Misses Patil, Brown, and Weasley. Will you please come with me?"

Neville noticed that his friends were oddly quiet as they followed McGonagall outside the Gryffindor common room. He supposed that McGonagall showing up to speak with them wasn't exactly an encouraging sign.

"Your presence has been requested by the headmaster," she stiffly told them.

Not waiting for any response, McGonagall set off at a brisk fast. They hurried along the seventh floor to the passage way to the headmaster's stairwell. Every so often Seamus would try to prompt a response out of McGonagall, but she ignored him. Defeated, even Seamus fell silent.

"Lord Voldemort." McGonagall announced to the stone gargoyle.

"Professor – " Ginny started.

"Yes, Miss Weasley, I am aware of the taboo. However, it is the only way to gain access into the headmaster's office."

Neville shivered. So Voldemort and his followers were keeping tabs on everyone who ventured into the headmaster's office.

McGonagall escorted them up the winding staircase into what had once been Dumbledore's office. The space seemed too light and airy for someone like Snape to occupy them. Even when he had taken over the Defence Against the Dark Arts post last year he preferred to keep his office in the dungeons. As usual, the portraits of the former headmasters slumbered in their frames. Neville's heart stopped when he noticed the newest addition sleeping alongside of them. He turned his eyes, not quite ready to look upon their old headmaster just yet.

There were more students already in the headmaster's office when they arrived. Neville didn't even have to think twice to know what everyone in the room had in common. Snape had summoned the remains of Dumbledore's Army to his office.

"Severus," McGonagall announced, "Ms Weasley and her friends."

"Thank you Minevra, that will be all." He dismissed his deputy headmistress.

McGonagall's lips thinned and Neville could sense her disproval over being treated like Snape's secretary.

"You have three seconds to form an orderly line," Snape snapped at them. "I trust that is not beyond your capabilities."

Standing between Seamus and Hannah, Neville glanced down the line at Ginny and Luna. Ginny looked angry while Luna seemed quite unfazed to be here. Luna offered him a small smile of her own when she felt him looking.

"You have all been gathered here because each of you has shown rebellion to the ministry's authority over Hogwarts in the past," Snape reminded them. "With the unfortunate death of Albus and the changes in administration, I feel it is prudent to remind each of you that your disobedience this year will not be tolerated."

Neville felt anger like he had never felt before bubble up at the mention of Professor Dumbledore's death.

"I expect you all to behave yourselves," Snape drawled as he paced back and forth in front of them He stopped and stared at each one of them in turn. "Try anything and I will know where it originated from." At this, he stopped directly in front of Ginny.

Neville was surprised when she quickly looked at her feet. Where had his defiant friend gone? Ginny had never backed down or shown intimidation before.

"I expect that like Dumbledore himself, his army will remain _dead_."

Snape paused and stopped in front of him this time. His beady, black eyes starred straight into Neville's. But unlike in the past when Neville would squirm or look away, this time he held steady. He would not back down and let Snape think he was intimidated this time. He had faced death eaters twice in battle over the past two years. And while Snape may have been one of them, he didn't fear him as he used to. Not in a school setting with Snape pretending to be a just headmaster. He was nothing but a coward and a bully, and those were the least of Neville's concerns.

Snape finally broke eye contact, but Neville didn't feel like he had won the starring contest. "That will be all. Try to make it to your common rooms before curfew." His lip curled, "Unless you would prefer to spend tomorrow evening in detention with me."

Dismissed, the group wasted no time in leaving the headmaster's office. They parted ways with the Hufflepuffs who were making their way back to the ground floor. The group of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws set off for their own towers, quietly making their way through the seventh floor. Each person seemed lost in their thoughts, or perhaps too scared to mention anything about Harry's former homework club.

"I'm surprised he didn't interrogate us," Seamus finally broke the silence. "I was expecting him to get the Carrows to rough us up a bit."

"He doesn't need to torture us to get answers," Luna airily responded. She blinked when she realized she had everyone's attention. "Snape's a legilimens, I thought everyone knew."

Neville was surprised when Ginny agreed with her. "He was supposed to teach Harry occlumency two years ago. Although, my dad thinks he just tried to make the connection to you-know-who stronger."

"Legilimency is – " Neville could barely hide his disgust. No wonder Snape always seemed to know just what to say to embarrass him the most.

"Not illegal," Ginny interjected. "And there are ways to defend yourself against it."

"She's right," Michael spoke up for the first time. "You can organize your mind so that your thoughts are harder to interpret. Legilimens look through memories, not direct thoughts."

It was then that Neville noticed that the rest of the Ravenclaws were waiting for Luna.

"We've barely been given enough time to make it to our common rooms before curfew," Anthony reminded them. He looked slightly defeated and Neville wondered how he was holding up after the Dark Arts class this morning. "C'mon Luna, I don't want any of us getting a detention tonight."

"Wait, Michael, do you know legilimency? Or occulumency?" Neville asked before the Ravenclaws could leave. He wasn't sure when they'd have another chance to speak to each other this unsupervised again.

Michael hesitated before glancing at Terry and Anthony. "Why?"

"I just think it would be useful, especially if Snape's going to break into our minds like that."

"See you in herbology, Longbottom," was Michael's flippant response as he left with the rest of the Ravenclaws.

"I think we just found our first DA lesson plan," Ginny whispered to Neville. Feeling his mouth drop open, Neville mutely nodded his agreement. He grinned the rest of the way to the common room, hope bubbling up at the possibility of reviving Dumbledore's Army.

xXxXx

There was no one roaming the halls when Zacharias made his way through a labyrinth of corridors to Professor Sprout's chambers. Like most house heads, she lived on the same floor as the entrance to the house's common room. Unlike most house heads, Professor Sprout made it clear they were welcome to visit whenever needed.

It had been just past midnight when he arrived in Hogsmeade with a ministry escort. A house-elf had appeared to take his things to his dormitory. The ministry officer had seen him to the gates and reminded him that they would know if Zacharias tried to leave the school.

Scowling, he banged the badger door knocker three times and waited for his professor to answer.

"Zacharias," Sprout had greeted him at her door. "Care to explain why you didn't return with the rest of your class on the train last night?"

That was because he hadn't planned on returning to Hogwarts this year. He had explicitly owled Professor Sprout two weeks ago to tell her. That hadn't stopped her from sending the ministry to go collect him when he hadn't shown up to Herbology this afternoon.

"You knew I wasn't coming back!" He exploded. "And you sent them for me!"

"Don't you raise your voice at me, young man," Sprout reminded him. "I had warned you attendance was required this year."

"Yeah, and I told you where you and the ministry could – "

"Zach, if I hadn't sent them myself, someone else would have. And I'm afraid the consequences would have been much greater. I won't see Amycus cruciate you like he did Anthony."

One day in and the death eaters had already gotten away with cruciating a student. Zach felt a tinge of pity for Anthony. The guy was a likable enough bloke and Zach couldn't imagine Anthony doing anything serious enough to warrant being tortured. Zach had five years worth of double potions with the Ravenclaws to attest to Anthony's mild manners and patience.

"Zach," his professor's voice was so soft he could barely hear it now. "You're among friends here. Don`t forget who the real enemy is."

He couldn't look at her. Not the kind professor who was so much like a second mother to him. "I'm dropping herbology." He announced. It was childish and he really just wanted to hurt her now. No Hufflepuff ever dropped herbology.

"I'll hold your spot if you change your mind," Sprout sighed as she handed him his schedule. He watched as the double herbology on Tuesdays and Thursdays disappeared. It didn't feel as satisfying as he thought it would, but Zach wasn't about to admit that.

Without another word, Zach left her office to make his way to the Hufflepuff common room. Unknown to most of Hogwarts, the stack of barrows near the kitchens didn't hold kitchen supplies. He tapped on the second one from the bottom and waited for it to swing open. He crawled through the barrel, not for the first time, feeling a bit foolish at the entry.

Most of the common room was nearly empty, so he managed to avoid the questions he didn't feel like answering. Before anyone had even realized he was there, he had disappeared around the corner and down the boys' corridor. Although, he knew he could count on his _dear_ roommates to pester him anyway.

"Decided to show up after all?" Ernie greeted him.

"Not a word, Macmillan!" Zacharias could already feel his patience for the other boy wearing thin. It was going to be a long term.

Not wanting to deal with him at the moment, Zach decided to change the topic and get Ernie rambling about something other than Zach's late arrival. "Where's the others?"

"Wayne?"

"Justin, Oliver _and_ Wayne."

"Wayne's in the common room, but Justin and Oliver…" He let the explanation hang silent in the air.

Zach had been so caught up in his own predicament that he had forgotten his two friends were muggle-born. "Shit. Look I'm sorry, do you know if they got away?"

"The Quibbler says Oliver's been arrested and taken to Azkaban and I've – l've got word that Justin is safe for now." Ernie's voice dropped to a whisper.

A lump formed in Zach's throat as he thought about his two friends. The thought of Oliver locked away in Azkaban turned his stomach. And Justin could be killed or captured at any time.

Zach didn't even bother to unpack his trunk, wondering if he'd be able to get permission to leave school early. He was turning eighteen in a few days anyway. Maybe he could get Sprout to allow him to write his NEWTs early and be out of here before Christmas. Maybe he could appeal to the ministry. He _was_ a pure-blood after all, and given their current obsession on blood purity, wouldn't they be more inclined to listen to him? He was needed at home more than he needed to finish his education.

There was a knock at the door that continued to get louder. Zach didn't particularly care to answer it, but it was starting to grate on his nerves. Whoever was at the door was very persistent.

"Can you get that – " the words died as he realized Ernie was no longer in the room with him.

He opened the door to reveal a pretty girl with long, curly brown hair. Kitty Penrose was arguably the prettiest witch in the school. She was also, unarguably, the dumbest. And according to the rumour mill in Hufflepuff, Zacharias Smith was dating her for those two reasons alone.

"Zach, oh thank Merlin, I've been so worried. You didn't even owl me to say when you'd be back!"

The tears were freely flowing out of Kitty's eyes now and Zach felt truly horrible. Of all the people he didn't actually want to upset tonight, Kitty was among the few. "I didn't mean to worry you, Kitten. I should have owled."

Kitty smiled, nodding her head. "I kept wondering why you didn't owl. I thought I had upset you and that you – "

"Wait, you were worried I broke up with you?"

His anger returned. Kitty didn't understand anything. If she thought that the pair of them was safe because they belonged to good, proper pure-blood families, then she really was as dumb as they say.

"You're so thick, Katharine." The words came out much harsher than he intended. As much as he wanted to be left alone, it hurt to watch her turn away from him. "Come back Kitten, I didn't mean it."

Zacharias was surprised when Kitty paused in her tracks; arms crossed as she waited for him to explain. The worst part was there wasn't any decent explanation he could give her right now.

"I love you."

Her brown eyes were starting to soften and Zach hated himself a little more for putting her through his shit right now. He knew he could be a huge bastard and he was just so _angry_ all the time these days. She deserved better. He knew better.

"Zach, what's wrong? Why didn't you come on the train?" Kitty pleaded with him. "Why haven't you written? Is your family – "

"Please, not now." Zach pulled her from the doorway into his room. He didn't want to talk about the hell his life had turned into the past two weeks. He just wanted his girlfriend to distract him from the war for a while. "Tell me what you've been up to."

Kitty frowned, but launched into a retelling of the party her mother had thrown for all her daddy's clients at the end of August. And while he tried to listen, tried to let her words pull him from his own dark thoughts, it wasn't until Kitty stopped talking and started kissing him that he was able to shut them down.


End file.
